Telethon raises money for cerebral palsy

Koby Voisin is just like every other kid. He likes to spend time with his family, eat his grandmother’s gumbo as often as he can and dreams of one day making it big as a rapper.

Rachel WarrenStaff Writer

Koby Voisin is just like every other kid. He likes to spend time with his family, eat his grandmother’s gumbo as often as he can and dreams of one day making it big as a rapper.Though he has cerebral palsy, he won’t let that stop him from being a kid.Koby, 12, is the poster boy for this year’s Bayou Area Telethon for Cerebral Palsy of Louisiana, which collects money to help kids like him and other people with cerebral palsy.This year’s telethon at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center, 346 Civic Center Blvd., runs from noon to 10 p.m.today and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Doors open at 10 a.m. both days.So, is Koby excited about the telethon? “Was Rick James excited when he got a record deal?” he quipped with a smile. “That’s a yes.”Though he’s all smiles now, his mom, Summer Huntsberry, said Koby’s life hasn’t been easy.“It’s been rough,” she said. “It’s been really rough for him.”Cerebral palsy is a broad term used to describe a group of chronic disorders that impair control of movement due to damage to the developing brain. Some children develop seizures, learning disabilities and vision, speech, hearing or language problems.Koby has had 37 surgeries so far and is scheduled for another one next year.He proudly displays the scars on his legs, back and ankles. After all, they show everything he’s overcome.Huntsberry said Koby was born with cerebral palsy and diagnosed at 3 months old.“He was born at 31 weeks,” she said. “They told me he would never walk and never talk.”Now, he can do both. “I never shut up,” he said with a laugh.Koby and his mom will be at the telethon from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Huntsberry will answer phones while Koby makes the rounds and talks to volunteers. John Gustin, executive director of Cerebral Palsy of Louisiana, said the telethon is “totally local.”“All the emcees, the talent and the poster child all come from this area,” Gustin said. “That’s what these shows are and that’s what we are. Totally Louisiana.”Gustin said the telethon in Cut Off typically raises the most money, but the bayou area telethon is often a close second.The telethon in Houma has a collection rate of 90 percent and Cut Off’s rate is 92 percent, he said. “When they say they’re going to give something, they give it,” he said.Since the telethon has a large number of volunteers, Gustin said costs for the event are low, which means more money can go to services for people with cerebral palsy.Doug Trahan, Cerebral Palsy of Louisiana president, who has been helping organize and set up the telethon for nearly 40 years, said the services the organization offers can often be life changing.“I’ve seen these kids, these babies born with cerebral palsy,” he said. “I’ve seen them grow up, get married, have children, get jobs and make a good living. I’ve seen the importance of this.”Trahan said the entertainment at the telethon changes every year. This year’s event will feature prominent people in the community and several bands.“It’s all about trying to get people to call in,” he said. “The more money we raise, the more services we can give. It’s so important.”The telethon will be broadcast live on Charter Communications channel 18 and Comcast channel 190. It will also be streamed live on www.cerebralpalsyla.com. To make a pledge, call 868-0200 during the broadcast.